₦airaland Forum

BTW read this:

  Danjuma instigated the killing of Ironsi, Fajuyi –Joe Achuzia
Sunday, 07 March 2010 00:00 Nigerian Compass
E-mail Print PDF

Beyond being one of the major actors in the Nigerian Civil War, Colonel Joe Achuzia (rtd.) is a very popular figure. In this revealing interview with EMMANUEL AGOZINO, Achuzia, popularly known as the Biafran Hannibal, talks about some of the other actors in the Civil War, including Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu; former President Nnamdi Azikiwe; former military Head of State, General Aguiyi Ironsi; and former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma. Excerpts:


You were said to be a man that fought the civil war without rules. While some see that as barbaric others take to you be a hero. Who is Colonel Joe Achuzia?
Well, I don’t know about being great. All I know is that in history, every society passes through one phase or the other. It is only those phases that leave indelible marks on society that make for remembrance. And within the issues of remembrance, people now realise the activities that led to it. As part of these activities, certain persons are usually identified with that cause. It is in the process of this identification that certain names takes prominence, not because they are the best, but because within their activities, they left mark as a signpost for the remembrance of the activities that took place at that time. Fortunately, I seem to be identified in one of these activities. Anybody familiar with Nigeria’s history from independence will easily identify the landmarks, the memorable incidents that stand out in the history of this country. One of those is the three and half years civil war out of which at the end of it, names were bandied about and mine is one of those names. But luckily, I am still alive not only to help correct all the misinterpretation that some people assigned to me, but also let today’s generation know the roles that I played and also refute any false information. For me, these were the things that singled me out. But otherwise, there is nothing that I did. Regarding the allegations that I fought the civil war without rules, others have done even worse.


What will you say about the recent statement credited to General T.Y. Danjuma that late General Aguiyi Ironsi, who was killed as a military Head of State, was a useless man. What is your reaction?
You see, when I read Danjuma’s statement, I felt very sad about it. First, go and do your research and you will realise that what I am going to tell you is the truth. In the 2 Division, it was this Danjuma, then a Captain in the then Nigeria Army, who was responsible for organising the security of General Ironsi. It was his job. So, if Danjuma turns today and tells the world  that he did not know about how Ironsi and Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi were killed in Ibadan, it will be a very big lie. If you want me to put it straight, it was because of the opposition of the unitary system declared by Ironsi that Danjuma organised his elimination along with Colonel Fajuyi in Ibadan. So, Danjuma cannot in all honesty deny that he was not the chief instigator of the killing. We were all living witness. I was in Lagos when the incident happened. So, I am not telling you a myth or what I did not know. It is this same group who killed Ironsi and Fajuyi in Ibadan that up till today are benefiting from the unitary system that Ironsi set up. Can you imagine. It is out of this same cabal too that the so-called Kaduna Mafia sprang up. I am not saying that it is all Northerners that wanted the total elimination of the Igbo during civil war period. But when we talk in terms of what Danjuma did, I know what I am saying. That is his character. It was just the way he killed Ironsi and Fajuyi that he betrayed the late General I.D. Bisala. He denied Bisala when Bisala needed him the most during the coup that killed  Genral Murtala Mohammed. If he is a soldier, he should have stood his ground as the GOC of the 3 Division. But instead, he did not. Let me say that when we talk in terms of military courage and bravery, rank does not bestow courage on people. I  like Danjuma. But he cannot deny the fact that he was the chief instigator of the murder of Ironsi and Fajuyi. History will continue to hold him responsible for that. When the war ended, he was the go between me and Bisala, especially in Enugu, when I was handing over Biafra to the federal side.


Are you saying you were the one that handed over Biafra to the federal side?
Yes.
But many believe that General Philip Effiong handed over Biafra to General Olusegun Obasanjo. Is that not correct?
No, it is a mistake that many people are not aware of up till today. I was the one who handed over Biafra to Obasanjo and Bisala. Effiong’s  role was going to Lagos to meet General Yakubu Gowon with some of our Biafran officers. And also reading the script which I prepared. I planned it that they should start from 9a.m. announcing that we had sent emissaries to the war fronts to meet Nigerian commanders so that everybody should lay down their weapons. That speech that we prepared was given to Effiong to read because if I should do that, the Nigerian side  will misinterpret it that possibly there was a coup in Biafra. So, to avoid that misinterpretation, we had to ask Effiong to read it. Because when Odumegwu-Ojukwu was leaving, he specifically told Effiong to represent him, while my job was to take care of the Army. I was the person in charge of the Biafran Armed Forces. So, I was  the one that actually handed over Biafra and not Effiong. Again, when the war ended, I was very visible. For instance, all the documents that Danjuma said that Gowon requested that I should sign, I signed them all. These included when Danjuma said that Gown asked that I should prepare a document of what I would like to do. I did all that and part of that document was what later led to the establishment of PRODA in Enugu. I also reported at the Board of Inquiry headed by the then General Adeyinka Adebayo. There I was told that one of the reasons why I was being detained was for the  protection of my life. But I asked them, ‘Protection against who?’ Well, they said that so many people were against me, especially the way I ended the war. So, for tempers to cool, according to them, I was kept in detention for seven years. But for me, I have always said that I don’t have any regrets over the war. Beside, I owe it as a moral duty to those whom I led through the war, especially with their situation today. They have not been compensated.

That is why we have today the Civil War Veteran, East West Command Association. The purpose is to look after the welfare of those comrades who survived the civil war. But as I am talking to you, up till today, none of them is less than 56 years and nothing has been done to help them. We are taking steps to bring their problem to the attention of the present government. I have written to President Umaru Yar’Adua. I have also written to the Ministry of Defence and to the President of the Senate, David Mark, that on the basis of “no winner no vanquished,” Nigeria owes it a duty to rehabilitate those veterans across the country as done in other parts of the world. The situation can be dangerous in the future if the government continues to exhibit lack of concern. Many people today may not know that those militants in the Niger Delta are all children of the war veterans. The members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) are children of the veterans. We don’t want a divided Nigeria again. We as veterans of the war gave a lot for the Nigeria  we have today. All we are asking is that the government should look into the welfare of these veterans. If you look at the present military command in the country, none of them saw the civil war. War is not good. And that is why we have been calling on the government to also take a census of the war veterans on both sides of the war and create a programme in the interest of reconciliation as the Army that fought the war is the Nigerian Army divided against itself based on the side one was standing at the time of the political logjam.


Now, 43 years after, do you think that the issues that caused that war have been resolved?
You see, it sounds naive when one talks about solving the issues that led to that war. There were multitudes of problems and issues that led to the civil war. While some are of the view that the January 1966 coup, led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna and the others, were the issues that led to the war. others tell you that the way Ironsi handled the issue of the coup by declaring a unitary system as opposed to the federating system in existence then led to the war. There are others who hold that it is the unbridled and the so-called ambition of appointing military administrators to take the place of political leaders. Also, there are those who say that the mismanagement by Gowon after the second coup, which brought Gowon into power  and led to the balkanization of Nigeria from the regional arrangement into states, caused the war. But whatever the cause, the war has been fought. To me, the greatest problem was the balkanization of Nigeria by Gowon without thinking of the future consequences. He did that to weaken the Igbo. But it turned out to be the root of whatever crisis that Nigeria is facing till today. By trying to take the so-called minorities away from the Igbo, when they  claimed that the Igbo were dominating, he  eventually opened their eyes like Oliver Twist. Whoever gave Gowon that advice gave him a wrong one because from then on the spiral effect brought Nigeria to the 36 states which we now have. The cumulation of all these, I will say, are parts and parcel of what in retrospect led to the  civil war. If Gowon did not create the 12 states, I do not think that the Eastern Region would have declared secession because there is nothing like dialogue. And that was exactly what happened. Gowon should have continuously kept seeking for dailogue.

But instead, he was advised to settle the situation the way he did by balkanizing the country. And once you do that, the people’s temper will rise. So, today, Nigeria cannot be at peace because the issues that led to the civil war have not been addressed. What do we have? We say we are practicing democracy, but here in Nigeria today what we have is a democracy of the cabals. It is these few cabals that are ruling the country. They have been doing so since the end of the war. And until the country wakes up to say enough is enough, the situation will continue. Hence, corruption will abound. It is only under the system of cabal leadership that certain people are favoured. And these few who are favoured will continue supporting the existence of the cabal government at the expense of the majority. If you look very well, you will see that many people do not understand what Wole Soyinka is trying to do. Knowing the deception that we call Nigerian democracy today, Soyinka has been doing his best trying to tell Nigerians that they should not allow themselves to be cowed into slavery. Because he is not a back seat General. That is why he comes to the front to tell Nigerians to say no to bad leadership that is going on in this country since after independence. For about two months now, all of us are seeing that what is happening with the leadership of this country.


There has been this controversy over the role Nzeogwu played during the first coup. While Odumegwu-Ojukwu keeps saying that it was Ifeajuna that was the leader of the coup, others say it was Nzeogwu. As one who saw it all, who actually was the leader of that coup?
You see, Nigerians have a way of mismanaging information. One person alone does not carry out a coup in the Army. A coup is a concerted arrangement by a few persons of like minds and ready to participate in overthrowing a system. So, the coup of January 1966 was carried out by a group of Army Majors. You cannot put it on one person. Otherwise, you are simply giving a dog a bad name to hang it. To say Nzeogwu, it means Nzeogwu and his group. Ifeajuna and his group. To be honest to your question, Ifeajuna and Nzeogwu were actually together in the plan and execution of the coup. Consequently, if the coup had succeeded, Nzeogwu or Ifeajuna could not have led the country or even Victor Banjo who was a part of that group. So, all that is important is that the coup took place and that these names were the leaders of the coup.  Any other person from the side that didn’t  participate at that crucial time is not a part of the coup. Any other information is an after thought. Unfortunately, those that led the 1966 coup and participated, you only have the junior ones left. They were not the primary leaders. As a result, I would advice that the January event should be consigned to its proper place and perspective, that this an aberration that took place at a point in time in Nigerian history. It is not a situation to continue apportioning blames or encomium.


What do you mean by consigning it to its proper place?

I say this because as long as we continue to apportion blame or look at it as an Igbo coup, we will not come out of the morass of the problem posed by the coup. You know that after the coup, it had a wide ripple effect. Because the North felt that it was an Igbo affair and consequently in their usual characteristics way, they descended on the Igbo without first trying to find out exactly what happened. They reacted as a mob without thinking. That mob action  has since then placed Nigeria in jeopardy. The result was finally a coup in which Danjuma and Gowon emerged. Gowon then became the Head of State. But the funny thing about it was that they did not carry out the coup for enhancing the interest of Nigeria. They did it on the basis that they wanted to secede from Nigeria. Hence the word Araba (Let’s divide). It was very clear that even Gowon in his first speech he delivered made it clear that there was no basis for unity. But unfortunately, he took the advice of the  civil service dominated then by the Southerners to advice him that it is not in the interest of the North to pull out of the federation. It was this same people that advised Gowon that the best way to bring the Eastern Region to its knee was to balkanise it. But before he did that, information was also leaking to the Eastern Region Government. And the reaction of the East was no, we are one. If you say you do not want us, we will go on our own by any name. If you look at the situation critically, you will see that the Eastern Region was pushed out. They were being pushed out for purposes of total elimination. That was the beginning of the genocide. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been the need to cut them off from the sea, air and land or get them landlocked. It was for this purpose that Bakasi was given out to Cameroun so that they will not give space for Biafra to retreat into Cameroun.

You mentioned Banjo. Where do you stand on the trial and execution of Banjo and his group during the war?

Banjo and his group  were tried under military procedure in line with the Biafran laws. I don’t think that it should be a thing for apportioning blames to anybody. They violated the war rules and laws at that time. And they were tried accordingly. Anybody could have fallen into that line. So, it was the laws at that time. And it was approved based on the orders of a military tribunal. So it is not a thing to blame anybody.


Many people have blamed Odumegwu-Ojukwu for the way Biafra was defeated. Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ralph Uweche, recently said that Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s way of leadership was responsible for the collapse of Biafra. Do you agree with this?


Biafra was never defeated nor collapsed. It is not true that Biafra was defeated. That is what many do not know.


Are you saying that Biafra was not defeated by Nigeria?

Yes.



What explanation do you offer for this?

[b]
Yes, I will do. Let me tell you the truth. You journalists must always do your research properly to educate the public. You should also look into the choice of words. You see, I repeat it again: Biafra was not defeated. It was not the Biafran Army that was responsible for the war efforts during the conflict. The efforts were handled by civilian populace. The soldiers were recruited to defend the civilians. The arms were provided by the civilians. In the executive council of Biafra, there were only two military personnel: Odumegwu-Ojukwu as the Head of State and Effiong as the Officer-in-Charge of Defence. The rest were all civilians. Those civilians were the ones who, when Odumegwu-Ojukwu left to attend the crucial meeting in Liberia, came to me and requested that I should stop the war. Today, there are living witnesses to what I am telling you. These include former Enugu State Chief Judge, Justice P.K. Nwokedi. He was one of those who came with Sir Louis Mbanefo and others to request that I take steps to stop the fighting. Initially, I was against it. But then I was reminded and made to understand that it is not my personal war. So, as a soldier, I have to obey the orders and demands of the Biafran Executive Council to stop the war. Another living witness is Obasanjo.

He is still alive. When I sent for him from Owerri, it was to my house he arrived. General Alani Akinrinade was the one I signalled to tell Obasanjo to come to Uga in Orlu Division. He and then Lt. Col. Sam Tumoye were at our headquarters when we discussed how to bring the war to an end. It was from my house that I took Obasanjo to meet Effiong at Igboukwu, which used to be the headquarters of the Biafran Directorate of Military intelligence. General Akinrinade is still alive and can testify to what I am saying. Nobody defeated Biafra. Commonsense will have tell you the truth. If they defeated Biafra, the federal side would have demanded our weapons. In my own case, I asked all my soldiers to go home with their weapons. Those that don’t want it should dump them by the roadside. Some handed them over to us. The truth is this. For a long time because of the laws in the archives of the military, what I am telling you today was kept under cover and secret. The essence is to give Nigeria a chance to formulate a new society where all can live in peace. But unfortunately, what I see now is that the issues that led to that armed struggle is yet to be addressed. And instead of addressing this issue so that Nigeria can have a good future, our leaders are still pursuing selfish interest. It is such that even in their presence, the Niger Delta struggle is rising every day.[/b]


How true is it that when people say that former President Nnamdi Azikiwe was against Biafra?
Going down memory lane, Zik was never a tribal person. He is not an Igbo leader. He only looked at the country from a global point of view. That was why he stepped aside for Dr. Michael Okpara. His presence in Biafra was more accidental than of necessity. We knew what we did and to what length we bent backward for him to stay in Biafra. The only opportunity we allowed him to step out of  Biafra merely brought Biafra into a civil war within itself. This, we had to quickly, on Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s advice, militarily run around with the various administrators of the various local governments to avoid a war between the Zikist and the non-Zikist.

^^
Look, without needing to sound condescending, what did the Ijaws need to be told before they believed that Eastern region/Biafra needed being fought for?

What could the Igbo have told them then, for them to understand that unity of purpose is strength in the fight for Biafra?
Igbo leaders did EVERYTHING to woo them, yet they chose to believe their REAL oppressors. Go and check your history.

Ok, today what are they fighting for, that they could not have fought for alongside other Biafrans in 1967? 

Resource control would have been won for them on  platter of gold. Rather they were deceived into fighting against their own interest.

Mister man please leave us alone. 

^^

That's why I said earlier in my post that 'war(s) is not for 'simple minds/People'. It entails 'SERIOUS' Study, Knowledge, preparation and reflection

If you understand the concept of WAR, perhaps you should not be bemoaning the break-up/ split of so called Igbo land. It's not a tea party.

Nwokem go and sit down! Now I'm laughing you off for real. 

You talk as if I ever claimed to be a Biafran soldier. Dude again WT fkc are you talking about?
Owerri fell several times and was recaptured by Biafran forces. What would you call that?

Just last year, Joe Achuzia stated that Biafran soldiers did not lose the war. They simply accepted "amnesty" of no victor no vanquished. He challenged anyone alive to prove him wrong. None did.

Like I told you before, stop p00sy-footing.

If you have something you want to say to Ndigbo, say it!
Nonsense.

Frankly you talk like an Yoruba.

Below is a submission by Ohanaeze Ndigbo during the Oputa panel hearings.

"The creation of the 12-States structure by Col. Gowon on May 27, 1967 was an act of
expediency aimed primarily at completing their siege of Ndi Igbo and frustrating their survival
and struggle for self-determination. It dismembered the Igbos as they were split into fragments
and put into different non-Igbo States. Thus, there were Ndi Igbo of Port Harcourt, Ahoada,
Ikwerre/Etche divisions placed into Rivers State, Ndi Igbo of Asaba, Aboh and Ika placed in the
Mid-West, some other Ndi Igbo from Azumini and Opobo put in Cross River State. The rest of
Ndi Igbo were isolated and land-locked into East Central State. This act was calculated to
paralyse Ndi Igbo and incite our neighbours against us. "



http://www.scribd.com/doc/41446047/Ohaneze-Submission-to-the-Oputa-Panel-A-Petition-to-the-Human-Rights-Violation-Investigation-Committee-by-Oha-Na-Eze-Ndi-Igbo

This is what we are still suffering today.

@cheikh

If minority like Ijaw had given Biafra half of the commitment they are giving to MEND today, Biafra would have won.
So stop yarning dust.

@cheikh

I also detest your attempt to classify Nsukka or any part of Igboland as "minority" or peripheral. We don't have anything like that in Igboland. Those are products of our dubious enemies.
Igbos were massacred in Anioma as well as eastern Igboland.
Quit being a d1ck.

^^

Before the end of 1967, all minority areas of Biafra had fallen.

@cheikh

My friend, take a look at this map and tell me which part of Biafra fell last.

@cheikh

And I even suspect that you are saying that minorities fought more than Igbos.
WTF are you talking about?

Why do you think the war lasted nearly three years, and why was Igbo areas the last to fall, and in fact the areas which forced the Gowon government to declare a no-victor no-vanquished end to the war?
Till the last minute, Igbo elements were still prepared to continue an indefinite guerilla war.

Don't come here to spew trash again. Nonsense.

I don't think that it's peculiar to the so called Western Igbo. Such feelings/so called denial predate the civil war. It has nothing to do with the war as far as the information/interviews I was given. Perhaps the civil war/defeat and its attendant consequence, exacerbated the 'problem' or 'denial'.
No doubt that the mainland Igbo fought but that's not the point I am making - is it? According to my 'research' the so called minorities saw their contribution towards the war effort especially in commitment and human terms exceedingly enormous. I think, in the light of what I discovered, the Igbo should be more mindful/ a little more sensitive in their claims  about their 'victimhood'/war time experience. I am aware that there was actual massacres of civilians by the Nigerian soldiers in places like Asaba(Delta)etc and other coastal places  and none of such experience befell the core mainland Igbo. Pls I repeat, I am not trying to denigrate nor undermine the effect of the war on the Igbo 'Psyche'

Dude what are you even talking about?
Are you saying that minorities suffered more than Igbos in the war?
If that is your claim, then you need to have your head examined. So, you've never heard of the Onitsha massacre and Nsukka massacre, and many other mass murders in Igboland during the war?
You went to interview folks with dubious and sinister motives towards the Igbo leadership of the war and come here to spew rubbish.
State your claims boldly! Stop poosy-footing!

Dis Ota gorilla sef!

He is Atiku's worst enemy in Nigerian politics.

Mkpi mbugobe adighi agba ewu!

You cannot carry a he-goat on top of the female and expect him to perform.
He must mount by himself.

You cannot force anyone to do what they didn't plan to do.

dayokanu:
Are you aware that in the 2007 APGA picked an Igbo person to contest in Lagos?

You know the ACN is mainly for Yorubas and as long as they keep their hold on the SW and try to spread to some states like Kwara, Kogi Edo and if possible some Northern states its all good.

APGA should try to win the SE first before coming to SW

So ACN is not trying to win SE?
Do you know how many Anambra members of the house of reps that defected to ACN last week?
Do you know that Enugu state governor almost defected to ACN last week?

So it is an insult for APGA to venture out of SE but it is ok for ACN to step into Igboland?

Do you guys know how st00pid you sound?  

I have always been for opening up the political space for everyone to participate. Let APGA pick their candidate in Lagos and let that candidate market himself to the Lagosians. Simple.

When Ngige ran under ACN in the last Anambra governorship elections, he only lost because people trusted Peter Obi more, and also Ojukwu appealed to people on behalf of Obi.
Ngige almost won!

So if APGA coalition picks a sound and qualified yoruba from Lagos, what is wrong with that?
APGA is not a party of thieves!

eku_bear:
@Obiaglu1: Anybody is allowed to contest. But the question is, can such a person get enough votes to win? I don't think an Igboman running on an APGA platform has a chance of winning. There simply aren't enough Igbos in state for him to win purely on Igbo votes, and the Yoruba will close ranks against him, due to the issues raised repeatedly throughout this thread.


Allowed to contest != high chance of winning.

I don't think APGA is fielding an Igbo candidate. Somehow I suspect you know that but chose to ignore it.

The more agitated you guys get about APGA in Lagos, the more you raise Igbo suspicion about ACN in Eastern Nigeria.

If APGA picks a qualified Lagosian (who would likely be Yoruba at this stage) what is your problem with that?

fstranger1:
Again why is it do difficult for you guys to stay home and develop your homeland?


Why the Obsession with Lagos, Ibadan and Ogun?


Why?  Why?  WHy?

You dont see Yorubas obsessing about any goddamn state in the SE?

My friend shadap too!

Who is obsessing over Lagos?

Is Dr Ade-gbola Dominic an Igbo man?

If Ngige can fly ACN flag, why can't a yoruba fly APGA flag in Lagos?

You guys need to take a chill pill.

alj harem:
to my igbo brother, to avoud troble and for peace to regnie, lets just leave with out neigbours in piece, lets not try anything that will get us hated again in the west

sofily sofily sofily they do am ooooo

OPC he day for town oooo

sofily sofily sofily they do am ooooo

OPC en day for town

My friend shadap dia!  

You think we can understand cow language?

Do you think any southern group is like you? Look at history and tell me!

Abeg take your prophesy of doom elsewhere.  

For the record, I don't believe that a Jos scenario will ever happen in Lagos because we do not have a blood thirsty Hausa/Fulani in the Lagos politics. We have Igbo and Yoruba and these two are not extremists historically.
The two don't target and kill innocent women and children historically.
So, all these Jos talk is bul5hit.

jason123:
STOP TRYING TO DIVIDE US! WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT WE ARE ALREADY UNITING!!! ewu hausa

For the first time I have to say double GBOSA! to your post.

That guy is aboki per excellence! He cannot advance his political agenda without creating chaos and mistrust among southerners.

@topic,

It was always bound to happen because Igbo live in Lagos in large numbers and obviously APGA is still emerging out of Igboland. It doesn't mean APGA is only for Igbos; it is NOT.

Eventually, when the political metamorphosis of Nigeria matures, you would find that parties like APGA and ACN will pervade the political space like collosus. Only small minds will panic at this.  

APGA's strategy has always been to field the best and most qualified candidates for elections.
Don't Lagosians have qualified people?  

All these panics are not helping progressive movement in Nigeria.

igbo boy:
boy boy?  Hmmm whatever, well u can be  my pet APE (or tiger if u be clawed face yoruba)

Ready for the circus!

jason123:
Okay. Point taken _{I am not ready to argue with you}

If they do invest then why do people say they do not invest?

I take the issue of investment seriously, because it is the key to economic revival of any place.
Imagine if I built a small scale industry in your town, suddenly I have to employ some local folks.
Before you know it, someone will see the need to accommodate the workers closer to the factory, which means more houses will start to spring up around the location.
That is how towns develop.

But if I come to your town as a civil servant or worker; once I am paid, I pocket my money and return to my area where I would later build houses.
The Igbo does the former, while the Yoruba does the latter.

Ola edo:
You are wrong.Extremely wrong. There are millions of yorubas spread across the north and thousands across the East.Stop speaking on behalf of the yorubas because you no nothing.

But do they invest there? How many houses do they build, or how many businesses/industries do they open in such places? 

jason123:
. You do not know what you are talking about. Was it not you and your fellow warriors that were saying igbos control the economy? Now you are saying this?

Igbo control the grassroot economy.
That is why when we go on vacation (Christmas for example) the rest of Nigeria must go too.
However, I am talking about national assets (federal positions, oil blocks, banks, insurance companies, etc) which were basically shared between the Hausa and Yoruba after the civil war.

Till date, no Igbo would drag "connections" with a Yoruba or Hausa person in Nigeria because they have their peoples in the juiciest of federal positions. FACT.

That is what odumchi is talking about.

If you run into problems in the course of your normal business as an Igbo person in Nigeria, you will need a Yoruba or Hausa person to help you "pull strings".  Are we not Nigerians?  

That is the point.

jason123:
Pls cancel that. Thank you!

Believe me there are more Igbos who would not agree with my including your sorry a$$ in that plan, but I look at the real picture.
The Yoruba don't have time for you. If you doubt me, show me their investments in Itshekiri land (if you are Itshekiri ) Their investments stop in Yorubaland. Fullstop.
My people invest everywhere including Yorubaland.
I am more concerned with reality.

odumchi:
@ Excanny
This is the reason why Easteners are suffering, people do not support each other rather they seek to disgrace fellow Igbos (if you are one).

Frankly,  I don't understand Excanny these days.
He attacks innocent folks and turns a blind eye to those who would not allow easterners survive in Nigeria.
If I didn't know him before know, I would have taken his position personally.

Your points are as clear as day.  

How does one counter things like embedded post-civil war patronage being enjoyed by Hausa and Yoruba in Nigeria?
How did they corner all the banks and oil wells?

Those are the questions because I know they did not get them through fair competition.
Having said these, the Igbo spirit in me tells me that we can still beat them in their games. All we need is go back to the east and plan well.

I would advise Easterners to design a socio-economic and political movement that will integrate the region.

By Easterners I mean Igbo and all southern minorities.  

Imagine if Asaba airport upgrades to international, and PH and Calabar ports somehow come alive, I see a complete and robust region emerging to drive the rest of the country forward.

Smart folks already know that south south and south east are really one region. All it takes is for them to design a regional masterplan to consummate both regions for the benefit of their peoples and Nigerians at large.

This is a no-brainer.

But once some folks focus only on oil, they miss the main scoop.  

Igbo can lead the East out of bondage. YES WE CAN!  

Maybe we need to ask the Chinese how they do it.
I once encountered two Chinese ladies in a business meeting. The one made a presentation in flawless American accent, and when she was done, she returned to her seat. I could overhear her converse in fluent and unbroken Chinese with her friend. I marveled at that. We need to learn from them.
Dual language is an asset.

VERY ANGRY:
na waoo, looks like im the only nnewi guy here,

donkarly:
nwanne you are not,i am from otolo nnewi-the city of the Lord.

Which part of Otolo are you from?
I'm from Otolo too. 

Andre Uweh:
OnlyTruth is a title holder and a proud Nnewi son.

Thanks bro Andre! 

RichyBlacK:
Amankalu, Alayi [/b]in Bende LGA, Abia State.

Bro [b]Richy, one of my past business associates in from your town. A certain Eke kalu.
There are many Kalu's is your town though.

ifyalways:
^Dalu.

Ify where are you from?
How I wish I can meet you one day face to face. You are my idea of a REAL Igbo lady.